Apparatus for wiping salt from wires



June 13, 1967 E. J. GAZELLE ETAL 3,324,498

APPARATUS FOR WIPING SALT FROM WIRES Filed April '7, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet1 INVENTORS. EDMOND J. GAZELLE and GEORGE F1 SCHWARTZ A Horney J 3, 96E. J. GAZELLE ETAL 3,324,498

APPARATUS FOR WIPING SALT FROM WIRES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 7,1965 //v VE/V 70/?5. EDMOND J. GAZEL 1. E and GEORGE SCHWARTZ y A f rorney 3,324,498 APPARATUS non WlPiNG SALT FROM wnuss This inventionrelates to apparatus for wiping material from wires and moreparticularly for wiping molten caustic salt from wires as they leave atank containing the molten salt. In some wire coating lines, moltencaustic salt is used to surface clean wires continuously. The oldpractice was to pull the wires from the caustic salt furnace or tankover a fixed or rotatable round bar, which was mounted on top of thedischarge end of the caustic salt furnace in order to remove molten saltadhering to the wires. The solidification temperature of molten causticsalt is such that the salts which are wiped off by the rotating barquickly solidify and immobilize the rotating bar and cause it tofunction as a fixed wipe. Further operation deposits additional salt onthe bar, adjacent floor and equipment where it solidifies, thus changingthe path of wire travel and creating a hazardous condition since anywater from adjacent operations which may come in contact with thesolidified salt can result in an unstable dissolving reaction. It isthen necessary to take the wire processing line out of operation topermit the removal of the accumulated material.

While open flame wiping of wires is used for removal of other types ofmaterial from wires, it cannot be used with caustic salt because ofdetrimental reactions between the flame and the caustic salt.

It is therefore an object of our invention to provide apparatus forremoving molten caustic salt from wires in which the salt is kept moltenafter removal.

Another object is to provide such apparatus in which the removed salt isreturned to the salt bath.

These and other objects will be more apparent after referring to thefollowing specification and attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the apparatus of our invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end view of URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view taken on the line IIIIII of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view taken on the line IVIV of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged view taken on the line V-V of FIGURE 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 2indicates a tank which contains molten caustic salt S. The salt may besodium hydroxide or a mixture of sodium hydroxide and an oxidizingagent. Wires W pass through the tank 2 around a hold down sinker 4 andthen pass upwardly and are discharged from the tank 2 over an apronplate 6. The plate 6 has a curved lower portion 8, a main slopingportion 10 extending upwardly therefrom and a horizontal discharge endportion 12 connected to portion 10 by means of an arc. Herringbone ribs14, 16 and 18 are Welded to or otherwise attached to the sloping portionof plate 6. A transverse rib 20 extends across the top portion 12 ofplate 6. Vertical guide plates 22 are welded or otherwise secured to therib 21b in spaced apart relationship so as to keep the wires W separatefrom one another. It will be seen that the sloping grooves 24, 26 and 28are provided between ribs 14, 16, 18 and 20. An end drip channel 30 isprovided on the discharge side of rib 12. The

the apparatus of FIG- 3 ,324,438 Patented June 13, 1967 channel 30slopes from the center line of the apron downwardly to each side. Agenerally L-shaped plate 32 is welded to each end of plate 6 and extendsdownwardly therefrom. The plates 32 also are welded to plate 33 formingthe bottom of channel 30. The plates 32 are connected by means of a bentplate 34 which is welded to the plate 32. A burner 36 is connected bymeans of a conduit 38 to the inside of an air tight chamber 40 formed byplates 6, 32, 33 and 34. Fuel is supplied to burner 36 through pipe 42and combustion air is supplied to the burner 36 through conduit 44connected to a blower 46. Burnt gases leave the chamber 40 through pipe48. A baflie 50 is arranged in the chamber 40 so as to direct the heatagainst the pot end of plate 6. The bafile 50 may be arranged in variousways, but it is preferred that it extend completely from bottom to topof the chamber 40 so that the burnt gases will be deflected into thehorizontal leg of the chamber. A plate 52 is welded to each plate 32 andto a vertical plate 54 which has its lower end extending into the tank2. Plates 32, 52 and 54 form a channel 56. If desired, the area underthe channels 56 may be incorporated into the chamber 40.

In operation, the wires W leaving the tank 2 pass over ribs 14, 16, 18and 20 and the front edges thereof act to wipe excess salt from thewires. The material wiped ofl by rib 14 will flow downwardly into thetank 2 while the material wiped by the other edges will flow downwardlythrough grooves 24, 26 and 28 to side return channels 56 and then intothe tank 2. This is also true of material which is received in channel30. Heat supplied by the gases from the burner 36 heats the walls ofchamber 40 so as to maintain the wiped salt molten so that it can flowback into the tank 2.

While one embodiment of our invention has been shown and described itwill be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be madewithout departing from the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for removing caustic salt or the like from a wirecomprising a tank having caustic salt therein, an apron plate mounted atthe exit end of said tank and extending upwardly away therefrom, aplurality of spaced apart ribs fastened to said plate and extending fromside to side thereof, a heating chamber beneath said apron plate, andmeans for supplying heat to said chamber.

2. Apparatus for removing caustic salt or the like from a plurality ofwires comprising a tank having caustic salt therein, an apron platemounted at the exit end of said tank and extending upwardly awaytherefrom, a plurality of spaced apart ribs fastened to said plate andextending from side to side thereof, said ribs providing channelstherebetween, a heating chamber beneath said apron plate, means forsupplying heat to said chamber, and means for delivering caustic saltfrom said channels to said tank.

3. Apparatus for removing caustic salt or the like from a plurality ofwires comprising a tank having caustic salt therein, an apron platemounted at the exit end of said tank and extending upwardly awaytherefrom, a plurality of spaced apart herringbone ribs fastened to saidplate each with its apex at a higher elevation than its ends, said ribsproviding channels therebetween, a heating chamber beneath said apronplate, means for supplying heat to said chamber, and side channels ateach side of said apron plate extending to said tank for receivingcaustic salt from said other channels.

4. Apparatus for removing caustic salt or the like from a plurality ofwires according to claim 3 including a transverse rib at the top of saidplate spaced from the uppermost of said herringbone ribs, andtransversely providing channels therebetween, transversely spacedvertical guide plates fastened to said transverse rib to keep the wiresseparate, an end drip channel at the discharge end of said apron plateextending to the sides thereof,

a heating chamber beneath said apron plate, means for supplying heat tosaid chamber, side channels at each side of said apron plate extendingto said tank for receiving caustic salt from said other channels.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1929 Hollnagel 15-88 X 10/1929Graaff 1588 X CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

L. G. MACHLIN, Assistant Examiner.

1. APPARATUS FOR REMOVING CAUSTIC SALT OR THE LIKE FROM A WIRECOMPRISING A TANK HAVING CAUSTIC SALT THEREIN, AN APRON PLATE MOUNTED ATTHE EXIT END OF SAID TANK AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY AWAY THEREFROM, APLURALITY OF SPACED APART RIBS FASTENED TO SAID PLATE AND EXTENDING FROMSIDE TO SIDE THEREOF, A HEATING CHAMBER BENEATH SAID APRON PLATE, ANDMEANS FOR SUPPLYING HEAT TO SAID CHAMBER.